Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion [Hardcover]

Pete Carroll (Author), Yogi Roth (Author), Kristoffer A. Garin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 13, 2010

"I know that I'll be evaluated in Seattle with wins and losses, as that is the nature of my profession for the last thirty-five years. But our record will not be what motivates me. Years ago I was asked, 'Pete, which is better: winning or competing?' My response was instantaneous: 'Competing. . . because it lasts longer.'"

Pete Carroll is one of the most successful coaches in football today. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to national prominence, amassing a 97-19 record over nine seasons. Now he shares the championship-winning philosophy that led USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles. This same mind=set and culture will shape his program as he returns to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks.

Carroll developed his unique coaching style by trial and error over his career. He learned that you get better results by teaching instead of screaming, and by helping players grow as people, not just on the field. He learned that an upbeat, energetic atmosphere in the locker room can coexist with an unstoppable competitive drive. He learned why you should stop worrying about your opponents, why you should always act as if the whole world is watching, and many other contrarian insights.

Carroll shows us how the Win Forever philosophy really works, both in NCAA Division I competition and in the NFL. He reveals how his recruiting strategies, training routines, and game-day rituals preserve a team's culture year after year, during championship seasons and disappointing seasons alike.

Win Forever is about more than winning football games; it's about maximizing your potential in every aspect of your life. Carroll has taught business leaders facing tough challenges. He has helped troubled kids on the streets of Los Angeles through his foundation A Better LA. His words are true in any situation: "If you want to win forever, always compete."

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Given the tough sanctions recently imposed on the USC football program for rules violations in 2004–05, when Carroll was the program’s highly successful head coach, it’s understandable if fans consider this book as much about damage control for Carroll, now the new head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, as a primer on how to win forever. Such as it is, Carroll and Roth’s book explains how, through decades of coaching in the college and pro ranks, he developed his successful philosophy of winning, which, in a nutshell, is Do things better than they have ever been done before. Readers might well find inspiration in Carroll’s coherent philosophy, along with fresh ideas on bringing out the best in players. They might also find Carroll’s credibility hard to square with the NCAA’s penalties. --Alan Moores

Review

"Pete Carroll is one of my favorite figures in America. He's the classic example of the fact that you don't have to be miserable to be a champion. You can actually have fun and make it fun."
-President Bill Clinton

"Pete Carroll presents great advice on how to be a winner in life. The twist is that the key is to focus on the process, not the outcome, and to compete hard in every way on your journey. It has certainly worked for Pete, who is a winner in so many ways, and it can work for anybody in all different aspects of life."
-NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

"During his time at USC Pete Carroll raised the bar in college football coaching with 7 straight BCS appearances, but as you'll read in Win Forever, his ultra competitive spirit and infectious energetic attitude have been the foundation to his many successes both on and off the field."
-Kirk Herbstreit, analyst for ESPN's College GameDay

"Coach Carroll is the fiercest competitor I know. Not only as a coach, but as a mentor and more importantly, a friend. That mentality allowed me to enter the NFL with the tools necessary for the highest level of competition. Furthermore, those traits transcended off the field and will offer a competitive edge for anyone who reads his book."
-Mark Sanchez

"Win Forever-it's not about wins and losses, it's about the competition within Pete's life. Reading his book, it's evident that he has a clear understanding that his job is more about creating an environment and foundation for young men that can better who they are every day on and off the field."
-Mia Hamm

"What impressed me about Pete is his contagious, positive approach and that his talents go far beyond what makes a great football coach. His philosophy of helping everyone be the best they can be makes sense in all aspects of everyday life. This will help everyone in our organization and will play a big part in defining the Seahawks' mindset and philosophy as we move forward."
-Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen

"If this book were just about football, it would be interesting but not compelling. Coach Carroll has something to say of importance to all of us who want to discover our potential as human beings. That he can win football games is beyond doubt, but that he can win over doubt itself is something special."
-Tim Gallwey, author of The Inner Game of Tennis, The Inner Game of Work, and The Inner Game of Stress

"Coach Carroll is one of the finest teachers in all of sport and one who I respect immensely. I'm just glad that he is now coaching in the NFL and not for our archrival anymore."
-John R. Wooden

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover; First Edition edition (July 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591843235
• ISBN-13: 978-1591843238
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.8 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #293,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Coaching > Football (American)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars An Average Read...however, still motivating July 29, 2010

By Steve T.

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been waiting for this book for awhile and might have had my hopes a little too high...and full disclosure I am a lifelong SC and Seahawks fan...this book is an easy read and was very motivating...I am constantly reading these types of books and I always keep a hi-lighter, notepad, and pen nearby and this book gave me all kinds of nuggets...my rating however was lowered from a four to a three star (i rarely will hand out a five) because of the simple fact that Pete doesn't coach the reader on how to map-out and plan their own philosophy...I love Pete...his energy, his mannerisms, and his coaching style and I have kept a lot of articles about him over the years because he always gives the reader/listener some great motivating ideas and tools and i love having those as a reference...this book offers the same however, I bought it to help me shape and actually create my own philosophy for business/coaching and the book left me a bit disappointed with no chapter on creating and formalizing my own philosophy...again, motivating book...some great ideas and quotes, however, it left me wanting just a bit more...

on a side note...I hope Amazon pulls down all the reviews on here that are just posted to trash Pete Carroll...I buy quite often from Amazon and use these reviews to help me decide on my purchases...obviously those of you "reviewing" have issue with Pete so here is a suggestion - start a blog and share your opinions on there as much as you would like, but don't affect the rating integrity of Amazon...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New, Different, Needed August 7, 2010

By journeywithpurpose1

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Pete Carroll is a classic example of living life to the fullest no matter what period in life a person is at. This book covers what a positive attitude can bring to the table. More importantly, however, is the clear vision he has for his team and how he articulates that. There is no gray area; very clear points. In short, I love it!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very insightfull and helpful August 3, 2010

By Jason Bornn

Format:Hardcover

As a coach, I try to read as many of these type of books as I can to gain any knowledge that might be helpful to me and my teams. Living in So Cal, I have had the opportunity to visit USC and hear Coach Carroll talk in both a classroom setting and on the field. There is nothing in this book that deviates from anything that he has been saying for the last few years. He has consistently talked about attitude, effort, competition, and believing in the power of practice.

With that said, I found the book very helpful and enjoyed many aspects of it. I found the chapters on developing your own philosophy, competition, coaching your coaches, and practice is everything the most beneficial. I also enjoyed how this book stayed the course and focused on the development of his belief system and did not get into a lot of "glory days" of USC football. At times, he does become redundant but that is done to reinforce what was said and how he got to where he is today.

Finally, while some reviewers have hammered Coach Carroll on his recent departure with sanctions looming and theories on how he was successful via cheating, I found these unfair and irrelevant to the book. While you may not like him or how they were successful over the last few years, take the book for what's it worth: one man's growth and evolution as a coach and how he got to where he is today.